Abstract: A device for automatically providing program information to a television display upon detection of an event in the program. The event being a user definable event. The device also provides automatic PIP display of the program having the event and a delay of the event so that it is not missed by the viewer.

Abstract: A device for indicating the quality of a received digital broadcast video signal in a digital television receiver includes circuitry for determining the amount of multipath interference. The device generates a display graph indicative of the signal quality. Optionally, the device may also consider, in determining the signal quality, whether a demodulator in the television receiver is able to lock onto a sync sequence in the video signal, whether an adaptive equalizer also in the television receiver is able to lock onto the sync sequence, and the amount of errors being corrected in an error correction circuit in the television receiver.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a plurality of blocks of cells, and a plurality of layers with conductors for signal and power routing. Power and ground connections for individual cells are supplied by power and ground conductors in a first layer of conductors at the cell level. Power and ground conductors at the block level are supplied by power and ground conductors at the top level of the layers which are connected to the first layer power and ground conductors by stacked vias. Intervening layers of conductors can be used for signal routing. This routing technique improves circuit density as compared to prior techniques where the block level power and ground conductors were in a second, lower level of conductors instead of a top level. A layout method is also disclosed in which the conductors for signal routing are defined in dependence on the placement of the block level power and ground conductors.

Abstract: A repeater employs multiple threshold detectors to distinguish between signals from external devices and signals generated within the repeater. Signals that are sent from the repeater are configured to be between two threshold levels, so that a detector at one threshold level will detect an active signal, but the detector at the other threshold level will not detect an active signal. When an external signal is received on one side (A) of the repeater, it is propagated to the other side (B) of the repeater, and at the same time, the other side (B) of the repeater is configured to only propagate external signals back to the first side (A). In this manner, the internally generated signal from one side (A) is not propagated back to the same side (A), and a latch-up is avoided. In like manner, when an external signal is received at the other side (B), the first side (A) of the repeater is configured to propagate only externally generated signals.

Abstract: In an electro-optic display device, such as a liquid crystal display device which serves as a modulator for projected light, a global ramp generator is used in conjunction with track and hold circuits to convert incoming digital display signals to analog signals, and to address the individual pixels of the display device with such analog signals. A plurality of column drivers, each coupled to the ramp generator and to the pixels in a column of the display device, track and hold the ramp voltage signal when it reaches a value corresponding to the desired brightness level of a particular pixel in the respective column. At least one current source is provided, coupled to the signal source output, for supplying current to the signal source output, as needed, to compensate for switching the capacitive load of the column drivers on and off. As a result, transient voltages in the ramp signal are avoided.

Abstract: A compact circuit assembly is provided for containment within the end of a circular fluorescent lamp envelope. The circuit assembly includes a plurality of circular circuit boards arranged along the length of the envelope end and having respective peripheries contacting an inner surface of the envelope. The circuit boards are interconnected and held in spaced-apart positions by a plurality of longitudinally-extending conductors which also serve as electrical buses for making electrical connections.

Abstract: An LCD backlight inverter that comprises a power stage that includes a first power switch and a second power switch that powers one or more cold cathode fluorescent lamps. A controller generates control signals, receives an IC supply input signal having a voltage level equaling or exceeding a prescribed threshold level, and provides a steady-state internal oscillation that drives said first and second power switches. A transient prevention circuit maintains said second power switch in a nonconducting state until at least a time at which said IC supply input signal reaches said prescribed voltage threshold. Alternatively, a transient prevention circuit maintains said second power switch in a nonconducting state until at least a time at which said IC supply input signal reaches said prescribed voltage threshold, and additionally prevents the controller oscillator from generating said internally generated oscillation until at least a time at which a supply voltage to the IC reaches a threshold value.

Abstract: A rake receiver tracks a multi-path signal transmitted from a base station to a mobile station. The rake receiver comprises rake fingers each assigned to a multi-path component. Typically a rake finger performs an early late detection using early and late component of the energy of the component taken before and after a presumed occurrence of an optimum of the energy. An early-late signal is generated from a comparison between a product of a first integer and the early component and a product of another integer and the late component.

Abstract: A machine-implemented method of doing business enables to stimulate commercial activities. A customer notifies a manufacturer or a dedicated service provider, of the purchase of merchandise from a specific retailer. Upon being notified, the manufacturer or service provider customizes a portal or home page for the customer by temporarily adding an advertisement banner associated with the retailer.

Abstract: Igniter circuitry for a gaseous discharge lamp includes an inductive igniting pulse generating circuit and a capacitive timing circuit. The pulse generating circuit includes a unidirectional voltage-sensitive switch which is electrically connected in series with a capacitor in the timing circuit to unidirectionally limit common current.

Abstract: A method and an system are provided for servicing a plurality of agents requesting access to a bus. The agents are arranged in a hierarchical order of groups, each having first and second pairs of the agents. Within each group, flags are set to indicate which pair was last serviced and which agent in each pair was last serviced.

Abstract: Semiconductor power devices with improved electrical characteristics are disclosed including rectifying contacts on a specially prepared semiconductor surface with little or no additional exposure to other chemical treatments, with oxide passivation and edge termination at a face of the semiconductor substrate adjacent to and surrounding the power device. The edge termination region is preferably formed by implanting electrically inactive ions, such as argon, into the substrate face at sufficient energy and dose to amorphize a portion of the substrate face and preferably self-aligned to the device. The passivated, edge-terminated devices exhibit improved characteristics relative to passivated devices with characteristics approaching those of the native semiconductor with the additional advantages of passivation protection. Methods for making and using the devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: A programmable method for analyzing the performance of software using a combination of statistical sampling, hardware events and feedback, and a finite state machine execution model. Performance analysis code is integrated with the object code of the software it is analyzing and profiling. Using hardware timers and triggers, the analysis code records timing information at each timer or trigger event, where some events may be the result of stochastic sampling. At certain times during the execution and termination of the software being profiled, results of the profiling are output. Upon the termination of the software being profiled, post processing is optionally performed on the profiling output timing information, and the result of this post processing provides a human readable indication of where the analyzed software spent its execution time. A system for implementing the profiling method in hardware is also described.

Abstract: A switchable power converter includes an input section that receives an AC input voltage and rectifies the AC input voltage and a switchable converter section operative to receive the rectified AC input voltage and convert the rectified AC input voltage to an intermediate DC output voltage. The switchable converter section includes at least one configuration switch operative to switch the switchable converter section between a boost converter topology, for low input line voltages, and either a flyback or SEPIC converter circuit topology, for high input line voltages.

Abstract: A multiport register file includes a first file unit having registers of a first width and a second file unite having registers of a second width. The second width being less than the first width. The first file unit accommodates data destined to be operands for functional units of a VLIW processor, or result data from those functional units. The second file unit accommodates guard bits for conditioning operation of those functional units.

Abstract: A ballast assembly facilitates alternative wiring configurations via the use of one or more dual-port connectors with corresponding insulating covers. The dual-port connectors provide a choice of wiring options, and the insulating cover provides the protection of the connector from the ingress of materials during the manufacturing process. In a preferred embodiment, the insulating cover is configured to reduce the potential of damage, to people or equipment, during the assembly of a lighting fixture containing this ballast assembly, and is also configured to provide the electrical isolation and protection required or desired for safety concerns. In a preferred embodiment, the insulating connector forms access regions about each port of the dual connector that are physically and electrically isolated from one another, and physically and electrically isolated from the access holes in the enclosure material, which is typically sheet metal.

Abstract: A scalable video coding scheme having a single motion compensation loop that generates bi-directional predicted frames (B frames) or predicted frames and bi-directional predicted frames and (P and B frames) coded entirely with a scalable codec.

Abstract: A method for streaming enhancement layer video frame data on a variable bandwidth network involves coding original uncoded video data with a non-scalable codec to generate I and P base layer frames; generating residual temporal B frames and SNR I and P frames from the original uncoded video data and the base layer frames; coding the temporal and SNR frames with a scalable codec; determining an available bandwidth of the variable bandwidth network; transmitting at least portions of the scalable coded temporal frames when the available bandwidth is a first bandwidth ranging between a minimum bit-rate allocated for transmitting only base layer frames and a predetermined bit-rate which is below a maximum bit-rate of the network; and additionally transmitting remaining portions of the scalable coded temporal frames and at least portions of the scalable coded SNR frames when the available bandwidth is a second bandwidth extending between the predetermined bit-rate and the maximum bit-rate of the network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for regulating the lamp output voltage in a multiple (parallel) discharge lamp fixture irrespective of the number of operating lamps and based upon monitoring of the lamp filament current. A modification thereof provides constant and equal currents in the discharge lamps irrespective of the number of operating lamps.

Abstract: A color projection display system, comprising a rotatable color drum with transmissive segments on the surface of the drum, the segments composed of dichroic filters having different color transmission bands, a cylindrical lens mounted co-axially inside the drum, and means for focussing images of the boundaries between segments onto an electro-optical light modulator panel, whereby in operation the segment images are scrolled across the surface of the light modulator panel, synchronously with the application of color components of a display signal corresponding to the colors of the scrolling segment images, to produce a full color display image for projection to a viewing screen.